Have seen this problem many times but the one that usually fixes it is the deletion of a registry key for the “Protected Storage System Provider” this link from Microsoft gives you three steps to try to fix it. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290684

Had the problem where everytime this Asus P5VD2-VM Motherboard would start, it would load the PCI to PCI Bridge and then Realtek NIC drivers (i.e. Windows has found new devices and is installing them). A reboot wouldn’t be affected, cold boot this would happen and then it would have trouble getting an IP Address. Also the sound wasn’t working, updating driver from manufacturers website solved it. The thing was, a clean install of Vista had it installing all the drivers ok, and saying everything was working. Even the sound issue, when playing a file you could see the meter working but no sound, until I updated the driver. Installing Windows XP on to the same machine, everything worked from the outset. Problem was found to be an outdated BIOS (ver 0402) Updated it to 1302, all ok.

: (Subjective)
Past Reminders keep firing with below errors every time Outlook is opened.

while dismiss them- “Cannot turn off the reminder. You may be reminded again. the end date you entered occurs before the start date”

while try to open the related item- “Cannot open the item for this reminder. The end date occurs before the start date”

O: (Objective)[Environment]

PRODUCT VERSION AND SERVICE RELEASES

Windows 2000
Service Pack 4
Exchange Version: 5.5
Exchange SP: 4

A: (Assessment)
Ø Logged on to the mailbox using Outlook and found the same symptoms.

Ø Carried out the below steps to delete the items in Reminders folder.

Download MFCMAPI tool from http://support.microsoft.com/?ID=291794

1. Run MFCMAPI on the desktop
2. Go to Session->Logon and Display Store Table
3. Select your profile
4. Select Mailbox
5. Expand “Root Container”
6. Right click “Reminders” and select “Open Contents Table”
7. New Window Launches with Title Reminders
8. Select the reminder items that are being problem, Right click and select “Delete Message”
9. Close MFCMAPI

Ø Reopened Outlook and don’t find the past Reminders firing again. The issue got resolved.

Good Luck!

Tip to the wise - if you have had problems trying to install Windows (any version) on your HP laptop, and it fails to find any usable HDDs, try the following:

Enter the BIOS (Hit F10 key during BIOS load)
Change the SATA drive setting to Disabled
Save
Reboot to CD

This problem was traced back to NOD32 and it’s Internet Monitor (IMON). Once this was unloaded, internet access was given back to 32-bit applications (Internet Explorer, Outlook etc). Once access was gained, an update for NOD32 was performed which fixed problem and IMON was reactivated.

 You can see the Network connection asking for an IP Address, but failing with limited or no connectivity. I tried the following:

1. Run Winsock Fix
2. Reinstalled NIC Driver
3. Cleared ARP cache
4. Flushed DNS
5. Installed another NIC, same problem
6. Did System Restore back to before problem started
7. Scanned HDD for errors (none)
8. Scanned for spyware (none)
9. Installed Windows XP on another HDD, NIC works OK.

 If I manually enter the IP Settings, I can Ping the localhost, and the IP address I have given the NIC, I can even ping external hosts by IP but domain name, I cannot browse sites via IP address though.

The next step was a repair install, then Glen Young in Queensland gave me this link with instructions to try to manually reinstall the TCP/IP stack.

  If TCP/IP is not working and the command “netsh interface ip reset resetlog.txt” fails to resolve the problem, you can try the following procedure in Windows XP, which basically enables the TCP/IP uninstall function that is normally not available in these operating systems.

In brief, you have to do the following:

Enable the uninstalling of TCP/IP, Uninstall TCP/IP, Reinstall TCP/IP, Reboot

Complete procedure:

Open regedit (click on [Start], Run…, type: regedit , click on [OK]

In the left pane navigate to the following two keys and delete them:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
\SYSTEM
\CurrentControlSet
\Services
\Winsock

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
\SYSTEM
\CurrentControlSet
\Services
\WinSock2
 
Optional backup of the TCP/IP configuration file: Close regedit, open Windows Explorer, and locate the nettcpip.inf file in %winroot%\inf (for example in: C:\WINDOWS\inf). Make a backup copy to restore later, if needed.

Open the nettcpip.inf in the editor (for example, in notepad.exe).

Under the section [MS_TCPIP.PrimaryInstall], change “Characteristics = 0xa0″ to “Characteristics = 0×80″ and resave the file.

Open Network Connections, right-click on Local Area Connection, and select Properties.

Click on Install, Protocol, Have disk, and type the path to the inf folder you used above, for example: c:\windows\inf

Choose TCP/IP from the list. This will take you back to the properties screen, but now the [Uninstall] button is available, which was the purpose of the above procedure.

Highlight TCP/IP and click on [Uninstall].

If you’re not in a hurry, reboot at this point. Ignore the warning messages that a lot of services are failing.

Optional: If you saved a backup copy of nettcpip.inf, restore it now.

Open Network Connections, right click on Local Area Connection, and select Properties

In the properties of Local Area Connection click Install, Protocol, “Have disk”, and type the same path again, for example: c:\windows\inf

Choose TCP/IP from the list and install it.
Reboot.

This is due to Malware/Spyware. To get things going again go into Task Manager, CTRL+ALT+DEL and then File, New Task and enter explorer. This may get your desktop up and running to do other things. If not, then go back to Task Manager and run ‘msconfig.exe’ and turn off all services and startup items and reboot. The idea is to first get CCleaner installed to remove rogue items from startup and then install/update/run Spybot and Malwarebytes. A couple of runs of these should clear most things.

Problem was associated with the Printer Spooler stopping everytime a printer was accessed (not including the XP Fax or Image printer. This was in fact a Network Printer/Fax. When the PC booted up, the service was running, once a Printer was selected within Printers and Faxes, the service would stop. You could start it again quite happily, but would stop again once printer was selected. All printers had to be deleted, including the Fax printer. Here are instructions on removing Network Printers. Here are instructions for cleaning out all printers. Lexmark printers are well known for causing this problem. If you just need to delete printers.

Stop the Printer Spooler service, delete the following from the registry:

HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Printers\Printname

Then start the Spooler cervice again

This is spyware which is usually transmitted via a hoax email regarding an undeliverable package with an attachment saying it is from UPS or Fedex. The attachment has a filename.exe (executable file) within a .zip file. If the .exe file is run then registry settings are created/changed disabling your Display Settings, Task Manager and removing your System Restore Points. It also install the BSOD(Blue Screen of Death) ScreenSaver which makes you think your PC has crashed when in fact it is OK. It is very sneaky in that it shows you a Windows XP Splashscreen as if it is booting up and then a BSOD. Just hit spacebar and your desktop will reappear. Installation/Update/Run the following programs, SpyBot and MalwareBytes will get rid of most of it, but not all of it. Some registry settings may have to be manually removed. Use CCleaner to edit the startup items in the registry. You may see an entry for something like hpchj0d43 as an example. Delete it.

You can download AVG Free from here  then run the download file by clicking Start, Run, selecting file where it was saved then add the following switch

/REMOVE_FEATURE fea_AVG_SafeSurf /REMOVE_FEATURE fea_AVG_SafeSearch

before clicking OK to run the install.

For a review and instructions click here